Don't Give Makoto the Controller
by BurntMonjayaki01
Summary: Please. Don't. (Makoto gets introduced to online competitive gaming. God help us all. Slight crack)


...Don't Give Makoto the Controller

(Note: Haru shouldn't be here during the summer, but I don't care. Floof needs more attention.)

It was heading towards the end of summer break, and Akihabara was booming. People swarmed the streets for the cheapest, trendiest electronics.

And Makoto was on the prowl, looking for new things to experience in spite of the heatwave. And Akira, the boy who destroyed Castles with the enthusiasm of Don Quijote with country windmills, was going to show her magical things.

Seeing the crowd, Akira had doubts about his latest venture bearing any fruit. "Like vultures swarming carrion in the desert," he commented to himself as Makoto dragged him through the river of pedestrians clustered around each stall.

"Don't be sour," she replied. She then stopped in a space in the crowd, and looked at Akira, beaming. "I don't see why we shouldn't spend as much time together during the summer as much as possible, exploring Tokyo."

Her warm smile, warmer than the sun beaming on his neck, and her rosy eyes reminded him why. He smiled at her. "I suppose not."

Makoto nodded. "Good." She then tugged at Akira's forearm, pulling him deeper into the crowd and towards the side. She then went into scanning mode. "I was under the impression Akihabara would have more varied choices of technology, but nothing seems to catch my eye here. They seem like small electronic components discarded willy-nilly."

"Don't count this stuff out. You can easily make a computer out of the stuff they sell in Akihabara. And cheaply too, considering these guys get everything in large quantities."

Makoto placed a finger on his chin. "Fascinating..." She then turned around. "You wouldn't happen to know how to assemble a computer, would you? I mean, you seem great with your fingers."

Akira did a double take at what she said.

"...What?" Makoto said, turning her head.

"...N-nothing. To answer your question, I'm not that good..." He gulped. "Wow, it's hot here..."

"...Why are you getting so flustered? It's perfectly normal not to know-"

"Anyway!" Akira interjected. "Please, keep looking."

Makoto continued to strafe the stall, looking for anything that would catch her eye.

Makoto began to think out loud. "I'll say this, Akira. I could only imagine what you can craft for Mementos using the stuff in these stalls. These would be a great help..."

"I see our strategist is always thinking one step ahead."

Makoto smiled. "Of course I have to. Your garage-style planning can only get you so far, mister," she said, swiping at his nose playfully with her pointing finger.

She turned around once more to search, but her eyes lit up. She saw it in the back corner of a hole-in-the-wall shop to her right.

"A PlayStorm Sigma?"

"...It's a console," Akira replied to Makoto. "You plug it into the TV, and you can play games on it."

"That's...amazing! I could stay at home and play instead of going out! It would allow me to multitask around the house more..."

It was times like these that Akira had to remind himself Makoto didn't have the most exciting of childhoods.

Which is why an opportunity like this was something he couldn't pass up if Makoto was going to "broaden her horizons," as she put it. "I'll get it if you want."

She started to blush. "If that's ok with you...though it's 250000 yen! It's so expensive!"

Akira grinned in return. "It is...how can I say no to that eagerness of yours? Plus, if you don't like it, I'll play it. I need to upgrade from my Super Nincompoot." Then, a moment of consideration. "I don't know what games to get though." He then opened his phone.

 **AKIRA:** Yo, Ryuji

 **AKIRA:** You have a PlayStorm Sigma correct?

 **RYUJI** **:** Fo'real?!

 **RYUJI** **:** You getting one!?

 **AKIRA:** Yeah, but I dunno what games you get.

 **AKIRA:** I haven't played any modern games in a while, so I'm rusty.

 **RYUJI:** Oh man, there's Midknight's Way

 **RYUJI** **:** DestinyDawn

 **RYUJI:** Dude, you gotta give me your game ID once it's set up so we can play online!

 **AKIRA:** That's nice...but I need something I can play with Makoto.

 **AKIRA:** Part of her discovery phase and all that.

 **RYUJI:**...Why?

 **AKIRA:** Why? 'Cuz it's too damn cute. I think seeing her in Kaneshiro's Palace...made me into a man.

 **RYUJI:** Dude...you have fallen hard, have you?

 **AKIRA** : Into the fucking mantle.

 **RYUJI:** But no I meant

 **RYUJI:** Why would you play a video game with Makoto after the arcade incident?

 **RYUJI:** That was the worst idea ever suggested

 **RYUJI:** And this is coming from the guy who suggested nude Ann as a good distraction.

 **AKIRA** : What...do you mean

 **RYUJI:** I have nightmares after the arcade incident. she gets WAAAY too much into stuff.

 **RYUJI:** She scarred that little kid with the "Get Smoked" cap that was the champion at that light gun game into not playing games anymore pretending

 **RYUJI:** Her life was on the line.

 **RYUJI:** He convinced him he was going to die too, man.

 **RYUJI:** His tears are still messing with my head

 **AKIRA** : Kids just have...weaker constitutions?

 **AKIRA** : She's just a passionate woman, that's all.

 **AKIRA** : Can't fault her for that.

"God she's so fucking hot when she's focused," he mused to himself.

 **RYUJI:** That may be true, but she's fuckin' Hitler behind a game gun.

 **RYUJI:** And you want to 'broaden her views' with more immersive games?

 **AKIRA** : Game gun! Of course!

 **AKIRA** : I'll show her a shooter and we'll just play and chill.

 **RYUJI:** WAIT DON'T OH GOD!

 **RYUJI:** SHITSHIT OK WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T GET HER 'DU-

"Ignored," Akira said to himself as he turned off the phone.

Makoto came back with six games in her hand. "I didn't know which games you'd like we could play together, so I picked ones that seem interesting." She fanned out four games in her hands. Two were Buchimaru-themed, one was about blindfolded androids in black-maid costumes fighting robots, and the other was a first-person shooter with a cops-and-robbers theme. "Duty Calls." The last game also came with two headsets.

Akira figured with how much fun she had destroying people at the arcade, the choice was clear to him. "Let's try 'Duty Calls.'"

Makoto jumped and hugged him. "I'm so excited!"

Akira smiled sheepishly. "I'm not sure though my TV can display the true glory of this console. There's some wicked specs on here; my TV wouldn't do it justice."

"My place then," she said, clasping his hands. "My Sis bought a new HD TV with her bonus. Would that be sufficient?"

"I guess but...your Sis though."

"Don't worry. She won't be back until late. It'll be your first introduction."

Akira was an opportunist at heart. "...Let's do it." Fear then struck him. _Crap...I shouldn't have said play and chill. Now..._

 _Ryuji's gonna tease me for the next week._

* * *

 **RYUJI:** Shit guys I fucked up so bad!

 **FUTABA:** You realized you're failing your classes!

 **RYUJI:** F-off this is serious!

 **ANN:** What is it, Retardji?

 **RYUJI:** Akira and Makoto are gonna game 'n chill!

 **ANN** : Seriously!?

 **ANN** : With Makoto!? I swear, I thought he was more gentlemanly than that

 **RYUJI:** Seriously, you're concerned about that!?

 **YUSUKE** : What's so deviant about playing games?

 **YUSUKE** : Ann remains a beautiful, confusing mystery as ever.

 **YUSUKE** : I feel inspired now to try a cubist interpretation of Ann.

 **FUTUBA:** WHAT GAMES TELL ME NOW!

 **HARU** **:** ...Akira's with a woman that's not me...

 **RYUJI:** What about the GAME part?

It took a minute to register.

 **ANN:** Shit.

 **YUSUKE** : The end times have come. AGAIN.

 **YUSUKE:** Oh what folly...

 **HARU:** WE MUST SAVE MY SAVIOR PRINCE!

 **FUTABA:** I wanna watch. Though I told Mona though and he decided to hide under my bed until it's over.

 **FUTABA:** What a pussycat he can be

 **RYUJI:** Guys this is our friend we gotta stop this IMMEDIATELY

 **FUTABA:** I'll bring popcorn!

 **YUSUKE** : ...Futaba, stop acting weird.

* * *

Today was one of the few days that Sae relished: an early work day. Mostly since no one wanted to work at the office with a broken AC. Nor patrol on a hot ass day.

Sae, jacket off, approached her apartment door and turned the key. "I swear, I'm gonna enjoy this-"

She swung open the door and found a teenage boy with her sister, fooling around. Her inner mama bear was not pleased.

"MAKOTO NIJIMA!" she cried. "What is this strange young man doing here in our home?" She glared ever more intensely. "And why is he messing with our TV!?"

"I-I'm sorry, Sis...this is my...friend, Akira Kurusu."

He appeared, albeit scared shitless, holding some game cords and the console in his hand. "Umm...your sister has said quite a lot about you. How do you do?"

Sae grimaced. "I suppose my _little_ sister forgot to tell you our policy regarding-" She then saw the console in his hand and turned white. "Uhh...is that a gaming console?"

Akira looked confused. "...Y-yeah..."

Sae began to hyperventilate and walked feebly to the kitchen to grab a sake bottle. "D-Do you even know what...you're doing?"

"Uhh...I'm just plugging in the Ethernet cords for online capability?"

Sae then turned to frantic mumbling, in between sips of rice wine. "All is lost...all is lost...parents, forgive me...I tried..."

"Uhh...what the heck is going on?"

"Ohh...it's nothing...I'll let you two be...I'll just go in my room...and pretend everything's alright..." She then calmly closed her bedroom door behind her and screamed.

"Uhh...is your sister alright?"

Makoto nodded. "I guessed he's just stressed, that's all. Though, I'm surprised. She's back earlier. I would assume it would allow her to be more relaxed."

Akira shrugged. "Who knows?"

"She was pretty considerate, though. You must have impressed her if she let you off the hook." She started to blush. "Well, let's play!"

After she fumbled with the buttons on the front panel of the console, she found the button to open the disk cover and placed the game disk in. "Surprising. It's just like a DVD in the way you load things in!"

"It's funny since it also acts as a DVD player!"

Makoto gasped. "We are so WATCHING yakuza flicks after!" She then cozied up to Akira, who was sitting on the couch, waiting for the game to load next to her large Buchimaru plush. "Thank you, Akira. This is the best gift you could have ever gotten me. I'll cherish it!"

Akira was surprised by how well this was going. All the while, he couldn't help but feel the intense sensations down below that her intense eagerness inspired.

The game now loaded. Just as the box art suggested, it was a team-based shooter based on cops and robbers, featuring an impressive and diverse arsenal for players to use. It even had an online mode with a progression system of all things, with hit counters.

"So, I suggest we do the single-player first."

"But this online mode...I want to learn how normal people act like in these games."

Akira had heard rumors about how people acted in these competitive shooting games. "It'll probably be very...rough?"

"...Please," Makoto said pleadingly. "I need to learn somehow. Teach me?" She held out the second controller.

 _Her face..._ "Fine."

Makoto leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. She then recoiled, now aware of what she was doing. "I...I'm getting too excited. L-let's play!"

It was game time. The party leader was chosen randomly each set of rounds, and Makoto was the lucky girl, with Akira and a random player as the other party members. On the cops side, of course.

The rando, a Lvl. 94, was not pleased, seeing Makoto and Akira's Lvl. 1. He made it clear in the text chat. **"OMG Two fucking noobs kill me plz"**

"What is he even saying?" Makoto said, her mic muted.

"He's grumpy. You can kick him out of the team if you want."

Her eyes became determined. "No. I am Makoto Nijima, and I never abandon my men! I will train them to fight these lawless heathens!"

"...You switched so fast. It's...kinda alluring?"

"Get into position, Kurusu, it's starting!" She turned her mic on, prepared to give orders.

The match started, and the two teams met on a small Tokyo street, weapons drawn.

"These graphics are amazing! This is such a great investment!" she cried out loud.

The team chat went crazy.

 **"Wait is that a girl on my team?"**

 **"OMG A GAMER GIRL"**

 **"PLZ ADD** **ME** "

 **"U KNO THE FANTOM THIEFS?"**

 **"I RUN THE PHANSHITE?"**

 **"GET IT? PHAN?"**

"Was he trying to speak? I think he can't spell," Makoto said, mic muted. "And what's 'adding'?"

"Nevermind him. Just focus!"

Makoto ignored him in the meantime. A few minutes passed by, and Makoto was pinned by two robbers firing automatic rifles from cover. Akira, new to the game as well, was bleeding out in Makoto's arms.

Tear swelling, she yelled in her headset. "THIS IS OFFICER NIJIMA! I need ASSISTANCE NOW! Rando94, I need covering fire!"

 **"ARE U KIDDIN' ME"**

 **"R U CRYIN**

 **"UR A TOTAL TROLL"**

 **"F*** OFF U SUK DIK"**

"You turned censors on, Makoto?"

"...Buchi-kun doesn't need to be exposed to vulgar language."

Makoto kept on getting killed, leading to the relatively inexperienced team to lose three times in a row, each time giving her a moment of post-traumatic stress.

By Round 4, all of her deaths in-game made Makoto meditate on the fragility of life. "All of my friends...are dead. They keep...dying."

Akira was too awestruck at Makoto's dedication even to be scared at this point. He played along. "It's ok. I'm still here. We can do this...together."

"...Akira..." She then proceeded to hug him tightly.

 **"GUYS WTF U DOIN' WER LOSIN"**

"I DON'T APPRECIATE INSUBORDINATION! I had a five-point plan, and you didn't follow it! We follow things by the manual here, we'll get out alright!"

 **"INSUBORDINATION!? I'M A HIGHER LEVEL THAN U"**

 **"STOP BEIN RETARDED ACTIN' LIK' YOUR IN A COP DRAMA"**

 **"THIS IS SO LAME"**

 **"I RATHER CODE ON THE PHANSITE THAN THIS S***"**

"...Wait, Phansite?" Makoto asked. "...Mishima-kun? Is that you?"

 **"UHH YEAH"**

 **"WHO IS DIS"**

"...Makoto Nijima. Your superior officer. The one who's going to find you at school and make your life hell for your INSOLENCE."

 **"...S***"**

 **"...PLEASE SPARE ME."**

 ****RANDO94 HAS LEFT****

"...Impressive," Akira said, jaw halfway down.

Suddenly, a thunderstorm of knocks hit the apartment door, followed by a cacophony of familiar voices, telling Akira to stop playing.

"What is this?" Makoto said, visibly annoyed.

"I got this; we're just waiting for matchmaking anyway." Akira raised himself off the couch and opened the door. Doing so allowed the rest of the Phantom Thieves to rush in, with Haru trailing far behind.

Ryuji was ahead in the pack, breathing heavily. "Dude...why didn't you answer my texts?!"

Akira shrugged. "I was getting absorbed in the game?"

Yusuke went into his brotherly pose, attempting to reach out to Akira. "Has she taken your soul yet, brother?" Yusuke pondered.

"What? No! What are you talking about? We've been playing cooperatively online!"

"...Brother...the pose..."

"Stop acting weird," Akira replied.

"Has she taken the opposing team's souls yet!?" Futaba asked. "I wanna see snapshots!"

"It's not that type of game. We're playing a shooter called 'Duty Calls.'"

Ryuji cradled his head and went into a fetal position. "Aww, shit..."

"He picked that game!?" Ann yelled. "The one that you play obnoxiously online whenever I visit?!"

"I KNOW I KNOW!" Ryuji yelled in agreement. "I regret everything!"

"Are you guys pwning some noobs at the very least?" Futaba asked.

"We're doing alright. Makoto seems to be treating this game pretty well."

Akira turned his head to find Makoto brandishing her teeth and tapping furiously at the controller.

"Akira...GET RIGHT OVER HERE NOW AND GIVE REVIVE ME," Makoto yelled.

Akira smiled. "Such a way with words. Coming!"

The group was lost for words.

Except Futaba. "I'm going to get some popcorn and watch! I'll back you up with some exploits!"

"...All hope is lost," Ryuji said, still trailing off while on the floor. "He's lost to the void..."

Ann looked over him. "Seriously, Ryuji, you might be over-"

Sae then began to drag herself out of the room. "Are...they done yet?" she said, plastered.

"Nope," Makoto said snappily. "Drink some green tea and march yourself back to bed. I'm ridding the streets of evil!"

"O-ok..." She then panickily walked her way to the kitchen to grab some tea packets haphazardly.

"What has her freaked out so much?" Ann wondered.

"You wanna know why?" she said, her eyes bloodshot from anxiety. "We had a Ninbundo 44 back when we were kids. It was supposed to be for me, but Makoto, a toddler, a FUCKING toddler, picks up my copy of Street Basher and goes demon child on me; picks the cop character; and says I'm resisting arrest."

"So?" Akira quipped, tapping furiously on the controller as much as Makoto was.

"SO?! When she lost, she restrained me with the game controller cord and locked me in the closet for half a day, insisting she would enact justice on the wicked!"

"Oh. Well...'Terrible Toddler Stage?'" Akira responded sheepishly.

Sae groaned. "You're terrible. Nevermind, I don't care anymore. This...whatever thing you have going, I'm fine with whatever you do. Just...please spare me."

"Wow...this would be kinda sweet, the whole sisterly acceptance thing," Ann commented. "But...it's so...deranged."

"Yeah, that sounds nice, Sis." Makoto said dispassionately, focusing on the screen. The thought then came to her. "Futaba, could you possibly hack into a gamer account by the name of Rando94...and reset it by chance?"

"Pfft. Easy." Futaba opened her laptop and swiped at the keys for a few seconds. "Done. Was he hacking in-game?"

"Nope. It's Mishima's account. That's the price of insubordination and abandoning you fellow officers."

Akira looked shocked. "Makoto...that's..."

Ryuji hoped Akira would see the error of his ways.

"AMAZING. You are indeed a queen! A paragon of justice! Slay whoever crosses your path!"

"YAS SLAY QUEEN!" Futaba squealed.

Ryuji groaned in disappointment along with Ann.

"C'mon guys, let's get out of here," Ann said dejectedly. "Futaba, you coming?"

"Nope. Counter-minging for the Queen right now!"

Ann dimmed her eyes. "Figures." She then lifted Ryuji up from the floor. "Let's get going. These two are made for each other."

"Wait guys, I brought the ax!" Haru cried from the hallway. She had a two-handed ax in her hands.

"Uhh...I thought we agreed we were going to use the ax to bust the door down, though," Ryuji replied wearily.

"...What makes you think I brought the ax for the door? This is Makoto-san we're talking about."

Ann grunted. "C'mon Haru, let's go. We gave up." Ann then dragged Haru by her floofy hair.

"Wait, Ann-san! It's not hopeless! Akira, my prince, don't leave me!" Haru's voice began to trail off.

Akira then went up to close the door. "Well, now that's out of the way." Akira went back to the couch, but now Makoto was sad. Tearing up.

"Wait...what's wrong, Makoto-I mean, Lieutenant Makoto?"

She was at a loss for words. She pointed in despair at the screen. The players were now down to two (probably from Makoto's presence crushing gamers' spirits), and were reshuffled. Makoto was still a cop, but Joker was now a robber.

She would have to hunt him down in the game.

Maybe...even take him down fatally, if he resisted too much.

"No...Akira-kun..."

He had forgotten who he was at the moment. He put on a facade of pain on his face. He 'felt' vulnerable. Found out.

She reached out to him, and the fear of being hurt, shot, stabbed in the back and other things sent him back. He didn't understand it himself, but something about the game, being in her presence...made him scared.

"I have to uphold justice...I'm sorry." "But for now...in this moment...I won't hurt you."

She then took off his glasses and laid them on the ground.

She then pecked at his forehead.

Then his nose.

"...I won't hurt you."

 _Holy shit...this is so hot._

She paused, a twinge of nervousness in her stomach.

Then her lips met his, gentle and chaste. As chaste as one could be, considering Makoto was resolved to bash Akira's virtual brains in with the baton in her game inventory.

Akira's eyes fluttered shut, forgetting for a brief moment the brutality he would have to inflict on Miss President.

She slid her hands down his shoulders, down his forearms, lacing her fingers with his. His mouth was soft and yielding, quivering from anticipation...and intimidation. She kissed him again, and again.

Then she pulled away. The game has started.

In a flash, her eyes bulged in intense concentration on her prey. "SUBMIT, CRIMINAL SCUM!"

"...the fuck...Wait I mean, COME AND CATCH ME!" channeling his persona in Mementos.

"...I need to write a fanfic about this," Futuba commented.

* * *

 **6 hours later**

It was pitch black.

The couple didn't bother to eat. Or sleep. Or turn on any additional lights.

"Seriously, guys?" Futaba said. "You've jumped thirty levels; I don't think I'm this productive during my 24-hour coding sessions!"

Makoto clenched her fists. "Evil never rests. So will I!" She then punched the air. "FIST OF JUSTICE!"

Akira chimed in, pulling his glasses in stylishly. "Being on both sides of the law...changes a man. I will fight with Cute Cop for the sake of...RIGHTEOUSNESS."

"Ugh," said Sae, who was now sitting next to Futaba, holding on to an empty sake bottle. "This is disgusting. Can they just act like adults for once?"

"Pfft, fat chance," Futaba replied. "This is gold. Besides who needs sleep when you have the lulz?"

Sae simmered. _I must...face myself. This trauma...I need to face it to make the world right._

 _I must...be the sister Makoto deserves._

Sae took a deep breath. "Guys...you are to act like normal teenagers IMMEDIATELY."

Such a gesture of normalcy jostled the pair out of their escapism. "What?" they said in unison.

"You are to...watch a movie. NOW! You are to...watch Netflick and chill?"

Futaba blushed. "You voyeur!"

"...But we have DVDs though," Makoto said.

"...What? What did I say?" Sae said, her face contorting from a vain attempt to comprehend the new hip language she was hearing.

Akira scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "...Just look it up."

Sae calmly pulled out her phone. "Seriously, you kids these days..."

A few seconds later, she widened her eyes, terrified by the prospect of Akira injecting dream-killer into Makoto. "Never mind. I just..." She sunk her head downwards. "...Fuck this." She sauntered to her room once more. "I'm going to bed."

Makoto bowed her head slightly. "My apologies. She can be...quite grumpy when she stays up."

"It's ok," Akira replied. He then checked his phone, curious about the time.

He noticed the bundle of messages from Mishima:

 **MISHIMA:** I SPENT OVER 50,000 YEN ON MY GEAR

 **MISHIMA:** WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS DONE TO ME?!

 **MISHIMA:** MY LIFE IS MEANINGLESS NOW

"Though...I am curious," Futaba interjected. What makes you get so worked up when you play games?"

Makoto blushed. "Oh...well...I guess I was just like that when I was young. I liked playing cop...since I always thought Dad was amazing in his uniform." She then held up the large Buchimaru plush on the couch while smiling. "Buchi-kun here always loved to wear a cop hat and be my partner keeping the streets safe." She then became self-aware. "S-sorry...this is so embarrassing..."

Akira walked up to her and held her hand. "Not at all. I loved hearing about that." His smile became softer. "That's...what I like about you..."

Makoto, beaming, leaned her head into Akira's fluttering chest. "You know...I am still pretty...excited right now."

"...Oh.." he moaned. "Are you?"

"I was hoping...we could...take things to the next level."

Out in the distance, Sae peeked on their conversation from the crack in her bedroom door, prepared to charge in heroically to defend her sister nobly and complete her brief personality arc.

"You mean..."

"...Nightly patrols until the dawn!?" she said, jumping in place.

"Damn right, Lieutenant!"

"Oracle on point!"

Sae sighed hotly and slammed the door.

* * *

Notes: Well, this turned out to be more crackfic than I thought.

I'll summarize how this..."thing" came into existence:

Two weeks ago:

Me: Oh, Makoto Nijima Week? Awesome! I'll probably do a couple of submissions!

Two days later:

Me: Broadening horizons as a prompt? Cool, I'll do something for that.

Next day:

Me: I'm sick. I can't move.

Me: Half a week later:

Me: The flu sucks. I feel like fucking with my characters in my other, actually serious drama fic (The Fool's Odyssey.)

Me: Start of Makoto Nijima Week:

Me: GAHH I'M In the zone! Wait...Makoto Nijima Week. Right. I'll see how what my pen produces.

Two days later (after reading Cop and Robber because I'm a nostalgic hack that likes nicely contained stories):

Me:...What the fuck have I written? I can't submit this shit.

Wednesday:

Me (Proofreading the Fool's Odyssey): ...Shit, I need to lighten up a bit. *stares at the draft labeled 'nightmare_fic* in my doc manager on * Fuck it.

Friday Morning (9/28): ...God help me.

(Don't worry, I'm not going to write crackfics for the rest of my life on this profile. Back to serious stuff now.)


End file.
